Indian Cultural Association of Pittsburgh (ICAP)
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The Students
The School Day & Activities
The School Prayers
The Member Expectations & Responsibilities
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Indian Cultural Association of Pittsburgh (ICAP)

The Member Expectations & Responsibilities

The Member Expectations

As a member of ICAP your family can expect an organization, which will provide a quality Hindi language and Indian cultural education to your children. We together also provide an outlet for the children to form friendship with other children of the same origin and values. For adult it is a chance to contribute to your children's as well as other ICAP children's education. ICAP is a voluntary cultural organization so we strongly request you to get involved in the organization and contribute whatever way you can. We need your talent to improve and continue the success of ICAP.



Guidelines & Responsibilities for ICAP Members

Attendance

Beginning with the first Sunday after Labor Day, classes start promptly at 10:30 AM. We request everyone to arrive at 10:25 AM so you are ready to join in the prayers. We start with a brief prayer at "Circle Time" followed by Hindi Language class from about 10:50 AM to 11:25 AM, and culture class from 11:25 AM to 11:55 AM. A light lunch is served between 12:00 PM and 12:30 PM. We end our school day with a singing of Indian national anthem "Jan a Gan Maan....". We expect every one to stay until the end of the national anthem. The classes may start at 10:00 AM when additional dance/drama practice is needed for one of the cultural programs.

Every child must be accompanied by at least one adult, and is expected to be at the school every Sunday. Just as in regular school, children cannot make adequate progress if they miss too many classes. It is also unfair to other children and frustrating to the teacher to repeat material that has already been covered in a prior class. Our teachers also give a light homework, so it is the child and parent's responsibility to make sure that the homework is done. Occasionally, circumstances may prevent attendance. In such cases it is the child and parent's responsibility to find out what was done in class and make it up. It is not the teacher's responsibility. We will attempt to post the homework on this site but ultimately it is till the parent and child's responsibility to make sure that homework is completed.


E-mail Policy

One email address account is provided per each member family. The electronic mail is to be used for the ICAP and the member communications. We kindly request that you use your judgment when sending email and giving out your email addresses. Please refrain from using email for any other purpose other than ICAP related matters. This includes transmission of jokes, pictures and/or any other offensive material. Remember this emails can be viewed by children as young as five years old. The ICAP and the membership reserves the right to remove, suspend and/or discontinue any member's email account with or without prior notice, in cases where violation of email policy occurs. This is for the protection of all of our children and the membership.



Membership Dues

Monthly dues per family are $15.00. This funds are used for the facility rent, purchase of supplies and for other miscellaneous expenses. The school does not have substantial budget or the cash flow, so we kindly request you to pay your membership dues in a timely manner. We request all members to pay their dues by check, so the accounting is easy. You may pay your dues by quarter $45.00 or for the entire year $135.00. Remember it is not the treasurer's responsibility to remind you to pay your dues in a timely fashion. Pleas set a good example for your children and be considerate of other members who are taking the responsibilities of paying their dues in a timely fashion.


All other activity fees such as fees for the bowling are collected at the time of the event. You will be responsible for all such fees and announcement will be made at appropriate time. If the school does not have enough funds to pay for the operational expenses, the monthly membership dues may be increased with prior notice.


Parental Responsibilities

This organization is run by all of the parent's contributions. As such we must insist that no children are dropped off at ICAP. We do not provide baby-sitting service. We strongly urge that both parents are present during the school time. If not at least one parent should be present at all times. Occasionally circumstances may require a child be sent with another family but, please do not misuse this privilege

.

All parents are expected to provide their talents and labor for the operation and management of ICAP. Please remember that it is our collective effort that help ICAP function. If you do not contribute, we all cannot be successful. We do not have any paid teachers, managers, etc. Together we all must contribute for the success of our children and ICAP. ICAP has all kinds of different opportunities for you to contribute. Parental labor can take many forms such as teaching Hindi, Culture, organizing social activities, organizing food preparation, clean-up etc. Each year a task sheet of activities will be circulated and tasks are assigned to each member. Please do your task with enthusiasm, professionalism and for all of the children. Let us work to gather for the success of all the children.



School Discipline Code

Every Sunday ICAP rents the YWCA facility, and as tenant we all must do our part to keep the facility clean and organized. Also for the safety of all of the children we have developed the following code of discipline. We must insist that each and every parent and student follow the code. This code is also developed for the safety and well being of all of us. Please communicate this to your children. As members we must ask all parents to follow the code and if anyone is found violating please stop them immediately and ask them not to do so again.

(1)Children are not allowed to jump, run or be involved in activity, which may injure them or other children.

(2)Children are not allowed to play with any of the YWCA's toys, piano, television, computers and any other YWCA property.

(3)Every one is responsible for keeping the YWCA in orderly fashion. If you need to use chairs or tables, please make sure that you place them back the way you found them.

(4)No trash containers should be used other than the large trash container in the lunch area and the kitchen.

(5)Before the end of the day the lunch tables should be cleaned, carpet should be vacuumed and trash should be thrown out in the trash container outside the building.

(6)Children are not allowed to play on the play set at the Jewish Temple (Next Door).

(7)Children are also not allowed to play in the YWCA parking lot for their safety.



Some Final Thoughts About The Responsibilities

Please remember this is a not-for-profit, volunteer organization operating for the benefit of all of the membership's children. Let us all contribute and do our duty for the safety and success of our children. Contribute in terms of your talent and please pay your dues in a timely fashion. Let us all be successful and let us not leave any child or member family behind.